Journey to a New World
by Neemers
Summary: Superheroes in the 1800's
1. Default Chapter

In this particular elseworlds I pretty much have to rewrite the  
  
entire DC universe.  
  
This chaper is setting down the history for the rest of the story. The prelude is not strictly neccessary for understanding of the story, and anyone who cares more about action than continuity should feel free to skip the prelude.  
  
Elseworlds: Journey to the New World  
  
By Neemers  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.  
  
From the journal of Ja-el, 457 N.K.T. Month 3, Day 7 (500 B.C.)  
  
We, the scientists of Krypton, are nearly ready for the great  
  
journey. For nearly a century we have been scorned by our fellow  
  
Egyptians because we believe in science instead of the gods.  
  
Recently opposision has grown worse and soon our countrymen may  
  
begin actively hunting us. Because of these changes, we have decided to find a new home, maybe even a new world, where we will not be so opposed.  
  
We have studied every bit of literature and lore we could find.  
  
Amoung the Hebrew people, we found the tale of a great ark that was filled when the world flooded. Our best scientists have studied the design and found it to be incredibly sturdy. Thus we decided to build our own ark, to escape from the ignorance and foolishness of our countrymen.  
  
With our stores, modifications to the original ark design and  
  
inventions we will be able to survive upon the sea indefinitely. We shall continue on until we find a land where we can be free in.  
  
The inventions of the scientists of Krypton have made our order  
  
incredibly wealthy, making it an easy task to buy the labor and  
  
materials needed for our great venture. It now lies upon the western shore of Ethiopia, ready for loading.  
  
We wished to give the gift of knowledge to the world, but it turned its back on us. Thus, in the four hundred fifty seventh year of our order, we take our gifts to ourselves, never to join the rest of the race of man again.  
  
From the journal of Jor-el, 2755 N.K.T. Month 9, Day 8 (1798 A.D.)  
  
I have looked upon the journals of my countrymen who began the great voyage into the sea, so many years ago. What must it have been like to spend one's entire life out upon the sea, never to see land? It was nearly a century before the travelers of the ark found a land which they felt they could be free in. By that time every man, woman, and child aboard the ark had never set foot upon land. But our journey has always been a journey of new knowledge and new discovery, so they set out for life upon land.  
  
The travelers set the ark upon the shores of the land they named  
  
Kandor, to find a suitable place for their new home. Scouts traveled far inland util they found a suitably secluded valley hidden within the mountains. Still more comfortable on land than water, they traveled up what the natives called the Willamette river to their new home.  
  
In my time new men have begun to come to this land. They have the pale skin and eyes that our ancient texts tell us was common amoung the northern races. They have named our land of Kandor Oregon and continue to come here in greater numbers.  
  
Our people, though few, are strong. With our weapons and genetic  
  
enhancements, we could easily force our way into this world, but our leaders choose to stay true to the teaching of our ancestors. They said they would never rejoin the rest of the race of man, and we will stay true to their teaching.  
  
From the journal of Jor-el, 2767 N.K.T. Month 3, Day 21 (1810 A.D.)  
  
It has been five years since Zal-or took charge of the High Council, and I fear our way of life is being lost. He preaches that our knowledge makes us superior to the rest of the world, and every day he gains more followers. With my position in the Council of Seven I am privy to classified information, including many tests which I disapprove of. They have been growing steadily worse, but the newest experiment is so terrible that I must do something about it.  
  
A two-year-old boy has been kidnapped from the outside world and  
  
turned into a cyborg. He has been injected with nanites programmed to turn his interior into a living camera. Images from the outside world will be beamed to our city so that we may know of the outside world without actually travelling to it. Of course, the experiments and mind control necessary for the process will leave the boy nearly mindless. I must act. But how?  
  
I cannot take the boy out of the city. For the past fifty years our people have been fitted with transmitters that kill anyone who leaves the city. At the age of five every child must submit to having one of these transmitters injected into them. If I were to leave the city, I would be dead withing ten minutes. But I must find a way to return him to his family.  
  
From the journal of Jor-el, 2767 N.K.T. Month 4, Day 2 (1810 A.D.)  
  
I have found a way to deliver the boy. Though I cannot reverse the nanite's instructions, I can change them. Instead of beaming hard light information to my people, the boy will be able to project it at will. Of coarse, the more distant the illusions are the less substantial they will be.  
  
But a child so young ought not be privy to such knowledge. Thus we have created a lock in the form of a ring and lantern. Only when he wears the ring, which must be charged by the lantern every twenty-four hours, will he be able to command the power withing him.  
  
My wife Lara and I will do what we must to save the child. Of  
  
course, this will be looked on as high treason. Thus we must deliver not only the outsider's child from our city, but our infant son Kal-el as well.  
  
What powers will my son have oustside of the great city dome? He has not yet been fitted with a transmitter, so he sill survive. Long ago my ancestors discovered how plants took enery from the sun and improved upon it, injecting the formula into our children. Without the dome to block out much of the sunlight, how strong will he be? Certainly far stronger than any outsider man.  
  
Lara will run them both outside the city while I work on jamming the transmitter for as long as I can. She will take the lantern with her as well, and the ring will be hung on a chain around Kal-el's neck. I know not if the other child will ever discover its use. I will never see my child again once Lara leaves. I can only hope that the outside world treats him with more kindness than we have treated them.  
  
From the journal of Zal-or, 2767 N.K.T. Month 4, Day 4 (1810 A.D.)  
  
The traitor Jor-el was executed today. His wife died by her  
  
transmitter, and their son is presumed dead in the wilderness.  
  
Unfortunately, before Jor-el died he destroyed the data necessary to create another camera-child. Our scientists must start over from scratch in order to make the experiment work again. This only delays my plans a little. Soon Krypton shall rise to become the one great power in the world, with me at its head.  
  
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Questions? Comments? Do I have anyone curious yet? 


	2. Chapter 1

Journey to the New World  
  
By Neemers  
  
April 1810  
  
I've finally found my little boy. Lisa's been worried sick, and at this point I was sure I'd find nothing more than a corpse, yet somehow Hal's still alive, and not alone.  
  
There's a woman on the ground in a long white dress. I get closer and see that she isn't breathing anymore. Next to her lies a squalling baby and a pack.  
  
I load the woman and her pack onto my horse. I pick up the boys to carry them. What kind of mystery have I stumbled onto?  
  
Back at the cabin Lisa takes charge at once. "Martin, we can handle one child in the wilderness, but not two. The Kents have been wanting a baby of their own for quite some time, and you said that when you reported back east you were going to stop by there. They'll take care of him for sure, and he'll be safer in Kansas than way out here."  
  
"I leave in the morning. I think maybe that woman was the baby's  
  
mother, meaning everything in the pack is now his."  
  
"What was in there?"  
  
"A blanket, a lantern, and a few books. She didn't even have a spare diaper."  
  
May 1812  
  
I'm the lighthouse keeper. I'm always alone, so it takes me a minute to identify the squalling of a baby.  
  
"Now where did you come from?"  
  
I look around. Nobody there. I know what would happen to him in an orphanage. I can't put him through that, so I return to the  
  
lighthouse with my new son.  
  
January 1815  
  
Daddy and Mommy are so happy! Daddy finally found a job. We came  
  
here from our hometown of Marz almost a year ago and have been  
  
struggling ever since, but Daddy finally found a permanent job.  
  
Mommy says that it isn't easy for immigrants to find work.  
  
Mommy's celebrating by building up the fire big so that its actually warm inside and she even got a roast to cook. I don't remember ever having a roast before, but Jack says that rich people have them all the time.  
  
There's a sudden pop from the fireplace, and I know that something's wrong. Sometimes the old gas stove Alfie keeps makes things act funny. Suddenly the whole room seems to explode in a fireball. The roof caves in, and I'm the only one who can get out, but I don't want to go. I want my mommy.  
  
I stand and look for a chance to help. The neighbors are trying to get in, but there's debris blocking the hallway too. I watch as Mommy and Daddy start screaming as the fire catches them. I can't look away.  
  
Five minutes later, the neighbors finally break through the debris and pull me out. Where will I go? Who would want a little boy with a strange green birthmark across half his face? Dad's taught me all about costumes and makeup so I can hide it, but how much longer will the powders last? I finally realize that I, Jonn Jonz, am totally alone. Who would want a freak like me?  
  
A policeman hauls me out of the fire, and I am dimly aware of him asking those around him if I have any family. When they all deny it, he says he'll take me to live with him. Not alone? could it be?  
  
He finally takes me up to his apartment, and his wife makes such a fuss over me. She takes a match to light her lamp with. At the flare of the match, I flinch.  
  
November 1818  
  
Mommy and Daddy took me to the theater for my birthday. I just  
  
turned eight today. Everything is perfect until it happens.  
  
A robber with a gun.  
  
Daddy yelling.  
  
Mommy's pearls falling to the ground in a cascade.  
  
Mommy and Daddy falling, and not getting up.  
  
And a silent, life-long vow.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
Feedback, please. 


End file.
